A family from Teesside whose Christmas went up in flames are all smiles again - thanks to a New Year visit from Santa.

And there was no mistaking the joy as tears turned to whoops of delight for the four young Cooper children.

They dived excitedly into a huge sackful of presents donated by generous Teessiders touched by the family's tragic story.

Favourite for six-year-old Lauren was a Barbie set while brothers - Elliot, five; Thomas, four, and 19-month-old Cory - were spoilt for choice as they wrestled to open dozens of presents.

Days after the family narrowly escaped with their lives from a blaze which destroyed their second floor flat, dad Craig Cooper, 27, said: "This has really brought back the smiles on the children's faces.

"I'd spent thousands to give the kids our best-ever Christmas. They had everything they wanted and then they lost everything in the fire.

"This has really come to our rescue. We're having a second Christmas now to make up for all that's happened."

Mr Cooper said the fire had destroyed everything the family had.

"The children still wake up at night frightened by how terrible it was," he said. "We were really lucky because the smoke was so thick and black you couldn't see past your nose."

Craig and his 19 year-old partner Rachel Fisher carried the children to safety from their one-bedroom flat in Simonside Walk, Middlesbrough, after an arsonist struck at 3am on December 27.

The children's puppy Lelo managed to escape the fire too.

"I have terrible flashbacks and still can't talk about what happened," said Rachel who was given oxygen after collapsing on the stairs.

The family are now in a temporary home before being rehoused.

Mr Cooper said he was very grateful for the sack of Santa goodies donated after his sister Kerry told their story to tfm presenter Gary Philipson.

"This is what the spirit of Christmas is all about," said Gary who helped deliver the presents personally thanks to the Make A Child Smile charity.

"Seeing what this means to the children is wonderful and Teessiders saw this as helping one of their own."